The Korea Herald

Tech firms seek outside help to polish product images

Arts&DesignSept 14, 2011

Apple sought assistance for iPod design; Samsung, Kia recruit top foreign talentGone are the days when it was enough for a product to be durable and reliable. Without the added attraction of savvy design, products just won’t sell, and this has become common knowledge in the industry. For instance, A
Gold has been most profitable since Lehman Brothers’ collapse

Sept 14, 2011

Gold has been the most profitable investment vehicle since the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings in 2008, a survey showed Wednesday.According to the data compiled by the Yonhap news agency through banks and securities firms, the price of gold has increased 137.5 percent since the U.S.-based finan
Hyundai ups sales forecast to 4m on European ambitions

IndustrySept 14, 2011

Hyundai Motor Co. said it expects to post sales of more than 4 million vehicles globally this year, stretching its previous target of 3.9 million on higher hopes for the European market.Unveiling the new generation of the i30 compact at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on Thursday, Hyundai Motor vice c
Samsung to file appeal vs. Apple in Germany

TechnologySept 14, 2011

German media critical of court’s ban on sale of Samsung Galaxy tabletSamsung Electronics Co., the world’s second-biggest mobile phone maker, said on Wednesday it will file an appeal this week in a bid to overturn the latest German court ruling that bans sales of its tablet computer Galaxy Tab.
Korea to lower import tariffs on chili peppers

Sept 14, 2011

South Korea will reduce tariffs on imported chili peppers in a bid to control a surge in consumer prices sparked by poor domestic output, the government said Wednesday.Under the move to go into effect within the month, a 10 percent tariff will be imposed on 8,200 tons of chili pepper imports, compar
Woori Card moving to stand alone again

Sept 14, 2011

Woori Financial Group’s project to launch a stand-alone credit card operation is drawing interest as financial regulators move to sell dominant shares of the state-owned group.The financial group is scheduled to convene a board meeting this month to approve its plan to separate Woori Card from Woori
Samsung Card to sell 20% stake in Everland

Sept 14, 2011

Stake sale signals major shift in control of Samsung GroupSamsung Card Co. said on Wednesday it plans to sell its 20.64 percent stake in its affiliate Samsung Everland Inc., which acts as Samsung’s Group’s holding company, sparking keen interest about possible stake buyers.Samsung Card, which owns a
Ssangyong aims to sell 40,000 cars in Europe this year

TransportSept 14, 2011

FRANKFURT, Germany (Yonhap News) ― Ssangyong Motor Co., South Korea’s smallest automaker, aims to sell 40,000 cars in the European market in 2012 as it moves to expand its global presence, the company’s president said Tuesday.Meeting with reporters at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Ssangyong CEO Lee Yoo-
‘CEOs most worried about U.S. double-dip’

Sept 14, 2011

Nearly half of South Korean chief executive officers view a double-dip recession in the United States as the most worrisome risk facing the global economy in recent months, a poll showed Tuesday. According to Samsung Economic Research Institute’s survey of 295 CEOs, 48 percent of the respondents sai
‘Gender of heirs apparent affects chaebol business’

IndustrySept 14, 2011

The gender of heirs apparent can affect the business performance of local conglomerates, research found Sunday. Chaebul.com, a portal following the activities of larger companies, recently analyzed changes in business showings among the nation’s 20 biggest companies in which children of owners were
Local firms play catch-up on social media

IndustrySept 14, 2011

Facebook, Twitter, me2day prevail but firms lack two-way interactionsAmid the explosive popularity of mobile computing and new media, a growing number of Korean companies are hitching a ride on the wave of social networking services in one of the world’s most wired countries.Facebook, Twitter and me
Airlines plan to reduce flying next year

World BusinessSept 14, 2011

Airlines are putting next year’s growth plans on hold, with high fuel prices and a sluggish economy forcing them to reconsider which flights make money and cut the ones that won’t.Delta Air Lines Inc. said it will reduce 2012 flying by 2 percent to 3 percent. The company that runs United and Contine
Toyota resumes full N. American output, plans engine increase

World BusinessSept 14, 2011

Toyota Motor Corp. resumed full production at all North American plants this week and said it will expand U.S. output of small engines as Japan’s largest automaker works to boost sales slowed by a March earthquake. As of this week, “all plants and suppliers in North America are at full speed, and mo
Free surgeries for international kids

Sept 14, 2011

Child patients from seven countries are being invited to Korea for free surgeries at nine hospitals here. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute are inviting 25 patients to come here over the next two months for advanced medical treatment.The invitatio
Visiting orphaned boys in Busan

Sept 14, 2011

Volunteers are to visit 500 kids at Boys Town Orphanage in Busan on Saturday. The group is to meet inside the city’s Jagalchi Station at 12:30 p.m. for the volunteer event to run to 3:30 p.m. Once there, the group will divide in two to spend time either with middle school and high school aged kids o